Automatic gate-operating mechanism



New. 27, 1923'.

F. R. ASHLEY AUTOMATIC GATE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 4, 1922 3 SheetgSheet 1 Nov. 27, 1923.

F. ASHLEY AUTOMATIC GATE OPERATING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4, 1922 v m d w? Z m Nov. 27, 1923. 1,475,212

F. R. ASHLEY AUTOMATIQ GATE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 4, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 lwpvevw 70 r Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

uNir o rra- FRANK 1a. ASHLEY, or EDGEWATEB, COLOBADQ- 3 AUTOMATIC onrn-ornanrme MECHANISM.

Application filed January 4, 1922: Serial No. 526,933.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK R. AsHLEY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Edgewater, in the county of Beaver and State of Colorado, have invented an Improvement in Automatic Grate-"Operating Mechanism, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My present invention relates to gate operating mechanism, and more particularly to an automatic gate operating mechanism adapted to be utilized for the remote control of ates, doors and the like. 7 Y

t the present time, so far as the applicant is aware, there is no automatic gate operating mechanism on'the market that is successful, Either the mechanism may be operated only when the vehicle or load ap proaches the gate from one particular side, or the gate is opened so slowly'or closed so quickly, as to interfere with the vehicle or load passing therethrough.

In my present invention I have overcome the defects of prior structures and have devised an improved and simplified gate operating mechanism that is positive in its operation, and that maybe quickly and successfully operated by a vehicle or load approaching from eitherside. To this end I have arranged a trough runninglengthwise of a roadway and extending transversely of a gate located at'a suitable point in the roadway, and in this trough place levers operable bythe weight of'a vehicle or load. Mechanism of this character is particularly desirable on large farms, ranches, industrial plants, Stockyards, entrances to festates,"and the like.= i The principal object of my invention is an improved means for mechanically operating a gate by the weight of a-vehicle or load as such vehicleor load approaches the ate. g Anotherobject is an improved means for retaining a gate in open position until after a vehicle or load has passed therethrough. Still another object is an improved -means for releasing the gate andmovingflit to" it closed or normal position. 7

-()ther objectsand novel features of the construction and arrangement of parts will appear asthe description of the invention p ress -1 In the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments of my invention;

Fig. 1" is a central longitudinal section through'the trough containing the gate operating mechanism;

Fig.2 is a plan view of Fig. 1, with the trough coverings removed;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a gate extending transversely of a roadway, with the trough lillustrated' in'Fig's; 1 and 2 shown in dotted mes,

Fig. & illustrates a modified form of connection between the runways or trough coverings and the gateoperating weight;

Fig. 5 illustrates another modification of connection between the ,runwaysor' trough coverings and the gate operating weight;

Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal section through the trough containing the gate operating mechanism, such mechanism being a nliodification of that illustrated in. Fig. 1,. anc

Fig. 7 is another modification.

Referring tothe drawings, 10 designates a roadway at any suitable point-of which is located agate, comprising. for example, posts "11, one at either side of'the roadway 10, each post'being provided with a plurality of l'u'gs or eyes in, which are. rotatably mounted an upright shaft 12', while secured to such shaft is agate member 13. As illustrated thesetwdgate members cometogether'at a pointmidway of the two posts 11 to 'blockthe'road'way l0 and may be rotated to clear such roadway for traffic.

Extending longitudinally of the roadway on'one side thereof and on either side of the gate members 13, is a trough. 141. This trough is of anyzconv'enient length and inclines downwardly from its ends to a well 15 located directly under the gate members 13, when such members are in closed position. Also, at either end ofthe'trough 13 is a depression 16 for azpurpos'e to be hereinafter described. Rotatably mounted in suitable bearingsi'and extending transversely of the roadway 10 .directly beneath the gate mem- I bersl3'is a shaft 17, provided at each end with bevel gears ,18 meshing with F correspon'ding bevel gears 19 mounted "on the lowerends of the shafts 12. Secured .to said shaft 17 vand ,normally extending downwardly therefrom is anarmQO having adjustably securedthereto a weight 21. On

. either'side'of the shaft 17 and transversely swings the arm '20 and lifts the weight of the trough 14 is a shaft 22 having rotatably mounted thereon a hell crank lever 23, to the end of the upper arm of which is mounted a roller 24, while to the end of the lower arm is attached one end of a wire or cord 25, the other end of this wire or cord 25 passing over a pulley 26 and being connected to the arm 20. rotatably mounted in the trough'14 on either side of the well portion 15. A runway or cover element 27 engages the roller- 24=and at its lower end is pivotally attached to the runway or cover element 28. vehicle or load rolling overthe-ru1iway'27 will depress the same, rotating the bell cranlrlevelr'23 about its shaft 22 causing a pull on the wire or cord 25 to rotate the shaft 17' and, through the bevel gears 18 and 19, rotating the shafts 12 to open the gate members 13'.

Mounted over the trough 14, is a'ru'nway or cover element 29 that is of a length sufiicieut'to bridge the gap between the runway or cover elements 27 on either sideof the shaft 17 thus making a continuous, though broken, cover for the trough 14. Secured to the under side of the element 29 is a quadrant 30 provided with a notch 33 for engaging witha pawl 81 pivotally mounted on the rod 20. 'Rotation of the shaft 17 in an anti-clockwise direction 21, and the pawl 31 engaging in the notch 33, maintains said weight in the raised position until released, as hereinafter described.

Pivotally "mounted in suitable hearings in the roadway 10 and parallel-to the shaft 17 and with one end extending into thetrough 14 are two shafts 32 to one end of'eac h of which is secured one end of a lever 34, the free end of which extends upward through a slot in the middle of the roadway 10 and into engagement with a roller 35 carried by a vertically sliding member directly beneath the joining point of the two gatesection's 13, this member 36being provided at its upper end with a catch 37 for retaining thel'gate sections 13 in closed position. To the other end of each shaft 32 is secured one end of a link 38, the other end of which is'pivotally attached to one end of a lever 39," pivotally mounted intermediate its ends-on a shaft 40 mounted in bearings 41, and the'free end of this lever 39 is provided with an upstanding portion 42 located beneath the hinged 'mem ber 28. -The weight of" a" vehicle on the hinged member or runway 28' will depress the free end of the lever 39, raising the other end and depressing-the latch 37m freethe gate ineinbersor sections 13."

' 9n the shaft 17 a pulley and at either end of the trough 14' in thedepression 16 is 7 located amember 44L "-Mounted for vertical This pulley 2G is- To the other arm of said'bell crank lever 46 is attached one end of a wire or cord 47 which Works over the pulley 43 and has its other thegate members-13 to their normal, or 7 closed position.

My improved device may be operated by a vehicleappro'achingthe gate from either side; Assuming that'all parts of the device are assembled as abovedescribed, and as shown in Fig. 1, a vehicle approaching from the right hand side engages the trip 45 and then' the pivoted'runway elements 28 and 27 respectively; On the approach, nothing happens when the vehiclefengages' the trip plate 45,but the contact of such vehiclewith the 'runway'element'28 causes 'a depression of same and engagement therewithiof trip 42. This causes" arotation of lever 39 on its shaft 40 and a lowering of the" free 'end of lever 34, which in turncauses a depression of catch 37 and release of the gate members 13. The vel'1iclenow" reachesthe runway portion 27 causing a depressi'onof its free endand a rotation of-th'e bell crank 'lever 23, which causes a pull on the'wire or cord ments in motion before fthecateh 37 returns to its normal osition. "The distance between the gate and the pivoted end of the member 27 is sufl icient to' allow the gate meu'lbers toswing fully open before the ve hicle reaches thesame and there is, therefore, no danger of the vehicle engaging with and stopping the operation of such'gate members. After the vehicle has passed] through the gateway, the wheels of "suclrveh'icle engage with and depress the lateh'member 45g'rotating the bell crank lever 46 and causing a pull on the wireor cord 47 to release the pawl 31 fromthe notch'33. This operation releases the weigl1tj21 which, in returning to normal'positio'n,rotates the shaft'l'l' and moves the gatemembers 13 to normal or closed position, where'they are caught and heldbyth'e latch These operations may be performed by a vehicle approaching the gateway from either side. i

5 In Fig. 4 I have shown an alternative means for operating the wire' 'or 'cord' 25,

such means consisting essentiallyof-apivote'd bell crank lever 50, to one-armof which isattached the endorthe wire or-cord 25 While the other armis pivotally' attaehed to the lower end of a link 51, the upper end of such link being pivotally attached to the underside of the runway 27.

In Fig. 5 is still another form of operating means, in which a pulley 52, rotatably mounted on a shaft 53, has reeved thereover the wire or cord 25, and the end of this wire or cord is attached to the lower end of a link 54, pivotally mounted on the lower surface of the runway 27.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modified form of my invention. In this form I provide runways on either side of the gate members 13, these runways comprising members and 56 hinged together at 58, the member 55 being hinged at one end to a shaft 57 extending transversely of the trough 14, while the end of the member 56 remote from the point 58 engages with a roller 59 extending transversely of the trough 14. The weight 60 is supported by two wires or cords 61 and 62, both of which extend over a rotatable pulley 63 and under a rotatably mounted pulley 64, and one of these .wires or cords, as 61, passes over a rotatable pulley 65 and is attached to a depending member 66 'secured to the bottom of the right hand member 55, while the wire or cord 62 extends around a rotatable pulley 68 and is attached to a depending member 69 secured to the bottom of the left hand member 55. To allow sufficient range of movement of the weight 60, I provide a' well 70 at the bottom of the well 15. In this modification there is no necessity of locking devices to hold the weight 60 in raised position, as the weight of the vehicle onthe hinged members 55 and 56 on one side of the gateway raises the weight to its uppermost position, and the vehicle engages with the hinged members 55 and 56 on the other side of the gateway before moving ofi' the first men tioned hinged members, thereby maintaining the weight 60 in the raised position until the vehicle has passed entirely through the gate.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 7, the post 71 is erected at the middle portion of the trough 1 1, and extends upwardly to a point under the gate members 13. The top of the runway is indicated at either end of the trough 14 by the numeral 72, and hinged to said runway top is a member 55 pivotally connected to the member 56 by shaft 58, the roller 63 extending transversely of the trough 14 being mounted in the end of the member 56 adjacent the gate members 13. Secured in suitable bearings on the post 71 are rotatable sheaves 73 and 74, while mounted transversely of the trough 14, on each side of the post 71, is a sheave 75. Immediately beneath the center plate 76 is pivotally mounted a lever 77. Secured 66 at the left hand member 55 is a cable 78 which passes over the sheave and is se cured to an eye 79 secured to a cable 80 that is attached to a point intermediate the ends of the lever 77. Secured at the lower end of the depending member 66 on the right hand member 55 is a cable 81 that passes over theright hand sheave 75, under the left hand sheave 75 and is attached to the eye 79. Secured to the lower end of the lever 77 is a cable 82 which passes under the sheave 73, over sheave 74, and has attached to its free end a weight'83. The operation of this modification is similar to the operation of the modification illustrated in Fig. 6.

While I have described and shown the preferred forms of my invention somewhat in detail, it is to be understood that I may vary the size, shape and arrangement of parts comprising my improved apparatus within wide limits withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. Having thus described I claim as new, is

1. An improved automatic gate operating mechanism, comprising a roadway, a trough extending transversely of the gate, a shaft extending transversely of the trough and beneath the gate in its normal closed position, driving connections between the shaft and the gate for swinging the gate to open or closed position, an arm on said shaft extending into the trough and provided with a weight, a quadrant located in said trough, a pawl pivotally mountedon said arm and adapted to engage with said quadrant to hold the weight in raised position and the gate in open position, and means operable by the'weight of a vehicle moving over the trough to operate the shaft.

2. An improved automatic gate operating mechanism, comprising a roadway, a

my invention what trough extendin transversel of the ate I a shaft extending transversely of the trough and beneath the gate in its normal closed position, driving connections between the shaft and the gate for swinging the gate to open or closed position, an arm on said FRANK R. ASHLEY. 

